October 11, 2024 |

Shalom Gimel Families

Posted on September 8, 2017

Shalom Gimel Families

Welcome to the Gimel Class 5778!  I am super excited to be working with your children this year.

My name is Elana Berelowitz and this will be my 19th year teaching at Temple Israel of Natick.  I have taught all grade levels and this will be my 5th consecutive year teaching third grade.  In addition to teaching at Temple Israel, I am a paraprofessional with the Natick Public Schools where I work with elementary aged children with special needs.  Summers are spent teaching Arts and Crafts at Camp Grossman in Westwood.

I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with your children on Hebrew Reading, prayers, Holidays and Torah.  Students will use a variety of approaches to demonstrate their learning such as journal writing, art projects, games, technology, and conversation.  On Sundays and the week days students will have an opportunity to do station rotations where they will work in small groups to practice decoding, prayer reading and singing, and play Hebrew Reading Games. Each Sunday we will get together as a classroom community to talk about our schedule, weather, Hebrew calendar and days of the week.

I am delighted to introduce some staff members who will also be working with your children.  On Sundays our classroom aide will be Amy Peltz.  Our madrichim this year are Rachel Greenberg (Sundays) and Sydney Atlas (Tuesdays).  Ketene Arante, a new face at Temple Israel, will also be working in our classroom on Sundays and Wednesdays.

During the first days of school we will do some ice breakers, establish class expectations and routines and review some of our Hebrew from last year.  We look forward to the Apple and Honey Olympics sponsored by the Men’s Club on the opening weekdays.  Please have your children wear sneakers.  Students will also participate in a painting activity.  We therefore suggest that they wear clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty.

I would be grateful if you would send in a photograph of your child on the first day.

Homework this year will be to practice reading and singing the prayers we work on in class.  Students will receive a homework calendar each month.  More information about this will follow in the next few weeks.  Each Sunday and week day students should bring a small kosher snack, a water bottle, and their green prayer binder, which they will receive within the first few days of school.

The best way to reach me with questions or concerns is through email.  My email address is eberelowitz@gmail.com.  I also have a Google Voice phone number:  508-233-3874.  Feel free to call me there.

I look forward to meeting you and your children very soon and can’t wait for an exciting year of learning and fun!

L’hitraot

Elana Berelowitz